Combined shutter and awning



S m- 1935. E. TERRY 2,0153? COMBINED SHUTTER AND AWNING Filed Deb. 7,1954 Patented Sept. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT or ies 3 Claims.

This invention relates tocombined storm shutters and awnings forwindows.

A primary objectof the invention is to so construct such a combinedshutter and awning that while it will be extremely simple and cheap tomanufacture having a minimum number of parts, it will yet be equally aseffective as more expensive and complicated structures of thischaracter. Another object is to construct an article of 10 thischaracter so that it may be opened and shut from within the house in avery few seconds and which may be opened to any degree or angle.

Another object is to construct a combined shutter and awning so thatwhen in open position to form an awning a pivotally mounted lowerportion will automatically drop to form a valance, and when the shutteris closed this valance will flatten out to form a shutter extension andbe held by the body of the shutter against rattling.

Other and more specific features of the invention residing inadvantageous forms and combinations of parts will hereinafter appear andbe pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device shown applied and in theposition which it assumes when used as an awning;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section with the device shown foldedfor use as a shutter in full lines and in open position for use as anawning in dotted lines; and

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the device detached.

In the embodiment illustrated a window frame I is shown having openings2 extending thru the lower side rails thereof and reinforced by metalsleeves to receive the operating chains of the combined awning andshutter l constituting the invention.

Extending transversely of the frame I at its upper end is a cross bar 3having at its outer edge a depending lip 4 with a recess 5 in rearthereof. The combined shutter and awning II! has hinges H at its upperedge which are attached the combined shutter and awning to swingoutwardly and inwardly, the upper edge of said device l0 being locatedwithin the recess 5 and its outer face adapted to abut the depending lip4 to limit the outward swing of the awning, forming a stop therefor.

The combination shutter and awning is formed of a main or body sectionl2 with a smaller valance section 13 hinged at M to the lower. end ofsection I2 and which is adapted by its weight to to the top cross bar 3of the frame I to permit swing downward into the position shown in Fig.1 when. the device is open to form a valance for the awning. The loweredge I 2 of section or body i2. overlies the upper edge of section i3when the device is arranged as a shutter as shown in Fig. 2 5

and said upper edge lies in a recess it of the lower cross bar of bodyl2 and is held thereby said over-- lapping body extension and preventedfrom rattling and also prevents the entrance of water anddust at thispoint. While I have shown and prefer to use the valance i3, it is not anessential and may be dispensed with when body portion I2 is made largeenough to cover the entire opening.

These shutter members l2 and I3 are rigid and formed of any suitablematerial withcleats 15 or bars secured along their edges on their innerfaces, the side members or cleats of the body being cut out adjacenttheir inner edges to form guides for a U-shaped operating member I8 thecross bar l9 of which is of a length to permit 20 the arms I! to fitbetween the outer walls of the recessed portion of the side rails 20,see Fig. 3. The side rails of these members l2 and [3 are designed tolie flat against the window frame I when the shutter is closed with theedges of the plate-like portions thereof overlying said frame to make aweather-tight connection between them.

Coiled springs 2| and 22 connect the upper cross bar 23 of section I 2with the cross bar I9 of the member l8 and exert their tension to forcesaid device into open position for use as an awning. Keepers 24 aresecured to the side rails 20 of member I2 and the cross bar IQ of memberI8 is mounted to slide therein to prevent undue strain on the lip orstop 4 and to also prevent rattling of the shutter.

Chains 25 are attached to the lower ends of the side rails 20 of shuttermember I 2 and are threaded thru the openings 2 in the side rails of thewindow frame I as shown in Fig. 2 and the links thereof may be engagedwith hooks 26 on the frame to hold the shutter in closed positionagainst the tension of the springs 2| and 22.

Assuming the shutter to be in closed position as shown in full lines inFig. 2 and held by engagement of one of the links of the chain 25 withthe hook 26, but when released the springs 2| and 22 which have beenunder tension will tend to contract and lift section l2. As this sectionrises the arms I! of member l8 will force the section outwardly untilstopped by engagement of the cross bar I!) with the upper ends of thekeepers 24, and the valance I3 will drop down as shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation andadvantages of the invention may be readily understood by those skilledin the art, and changes may be made in the details disclosed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an awning the combination of a onepiece rigid body-portion hingedby its upper end to a support, an elevating-brace pivoted at one end tothe support at a point below the hinge of the body-portion andswingingly engaging the body-portion with its other end, and resilientmeans one end of which is connected to the upper part of thebody-portion and the other end of which is connected to the swinging endof the elevating-brace the resilient means being of such a length thatit is put under tension when the swinging end of the elevating-brace islower than the pivoted end of the elevating-brace whereby thecontraction of the resilient means draws the swinging end of theelevating-brace outwardly and upwardly and pushes the lower end of thebody-portion outwardly.

2. In an awning the combination of a bodyportion hinged at its upper endto a support, a U-shaped elevating-brace pivoted by its ends to thesupport the cross-bar of the U-shaped brace swingingly engaging thelower part of the bodyportion and normally holding it spaced from thesupport, a resilient means connected to the upper part of thebody-portion and to the crossbar of the U-shaped brace so proportionedand arranged that the resilient means shall normally hold the lower partof the body-portion in outwardly swung position and means for drawingthe body-portion into a vertical position and holding it in suchposition.

3. In a combined awning and window-shutter the combination of anoverhanging water-table to be fixed to the upper horizontal member of awindow-frame, a shutter body hingedly attached under the overhangingportion of the water-table, a freely swinging valance hinged under thelower end of the shutter body, an elevating-brace pivoted to the side ofthe windowframe its free end swingingly engaging the pendent portion ofthe shutter body, resilient 20 means attached at one end near the upperpart of the shutter body and at its other end to the swinging end of theelevating-brace so proportioned and arranged as to normally keep theshutter body swung away from the window and 25 means attached to thelower part of the shutter body whereby the shutter body may be swung towindow closing position and held in such position.

EDWIN TERRY.

